Action toy operated by pounding



Feb. 16, 1965 N. A. GREENE 3,169,344

ACTION TOY OPERATED BY POUNDING Filed 001:. s, 1962 I: F/ 6. 2 F/ a. 3

INVENTOR WA. 6mm:

I Arramvzy;

United States Patent 3,16,344 AsCTIGN TSY OPERATED BY P'QUNDHNG NormanA. Greene, New Rochelle, N31. (181 W. 55th St., New York 19, N35.) FiledOct. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 228,101 7 Claims. (til. 46l32) This inventionrelates to toys, especially for young children, and more particularly toan action toy operated by impact, preferably but not necessarily bymeans of a mallet.

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved toy foryoung children. A more particular object is to provide an action toywhich is operated by impact, as by means of a mallet. Considered indifierent aspect, it is an object of the invention to provide a poundingtoy for children in which the pounding results in an amusing action ofthe toy.

To accomplish the foregoing general objects, and other more specificobjects which will hereinafter appear, my invention resides in the toyelements and their relation one to another as are hereinafter moreparticularly described in the following specification. The specificationis accompanied by a drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section taken through a toy embodying features ofthe invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse section taken approximately in the plane of theline 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view like FIG. 1, but showing a modification;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view, like FIG. 1, but showing a different formof the toy; and

FIG. 5 is a similar view showing still another form.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to FIG. 1, the toycomprises a base 12, a driving element 14 so mounted on the base that itis adapted to be driven downward, and an elongated slide member 16projecting for a substantial distance from the base and having its lowerend slidably received in the base. A return spring 18 urges the slidemember longitudinally downward. A figure 28, in this case resembling afrog, is movable along the slide member 16. There are means to inhibitdownward movement while affording upward movement of the figure, and inthe present case the slide has serrations 22 engaged by a part 24 of thefigure acting as a tooth or spur.

The toy further includes a force-transmitting and direction-changingmeans 26 between the driving element 1 3 and the slide member 16. In thepresent case the means 26 consists of a series of balls or spheresconfined in but readily movable along a curved path 28. The halls may bemade of a hard material, or if desired may be made of a somewhatresilient material such as polyethylene. In any case it will be seenthat downward blows on the driving element 14, as by means of ones hand,or more preferably, by means of a mallet 3%, will cause longitudinalreciprocations of the slide member 16, and consequent movement of figure2! upwardly along the slide member. The head of the mallet may be madeof rubber or a plastic material which will not readily mar furniture.

The upward and return movement of the slide member, for each blow, is sofast that it is almost imperceptible, which increases the amusementcaused by the travel of the figure along the slide member.

It will be understood that the moving figure is propelled forward bytransfer of force from the serrations to the matching tooth 24 on thefigure. This sends it along in a series of leaps until it flies oil theslide member at the end. The forward arms of the figure loosely engagethe sides of the slide member to maintain the figure in proper position,but they do not prevent the tail portion and spur 24 of the figure fromrising slightly as it moves over the 3,159,344 Patented Feb. 16, 1965serrations. To return the figure to the lower end of the slide member,it is merely necessary to hold the tail portion or spur above theserrations as the figure is slid freely down to the starting position.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the base 32, the driving element 34, the slidemember 36, and return spring 38 all may correspond to the comparableparts shown in FIG. 1. However, the force-transmitting anddirection-changing means 40 dififers, and in the present case consistsof a helical spring confined in and readily movable along a curved path42. This spring has immediately adjacent coils, that is, at the top orconcave side of the spring the coils abut one another closely so thatthe spring acts as a force-transmitting means without excessive yieldingwhen struck by the driving element 34.

Another form of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 4. In this casethere again is a base 44 carrying a driving element 46, and alsocarrying an elongated slide 48 having its lower end slidably received inthe base 44. The return spring 59 corresponds to that previouslydescribed. The force-transmitting and direction-changing means includesa pivoted lever 52 having one end generally beneath the driving element45, and having its other end generally beneath the lower end of theslide member 48. The pivot 54 of the lever is located between its ends,so that a downward movement of the driving element 46 causes an upwardmovement of the slide member 43.

Still another form of the invention is shown in FIG. 5. Here again thereis a base 56 carrying a driving element 58 and a slide member 60, thelatter being urged downward by a return spring 62. A figure 64 straddlesand is movable along the slide member 60.

The force-transmitting and direction-changing means in this caseconsists of a slidable element 66 urged upward by its own return spring68, this being a compression spring. The element 66 has a cammingportion 79 underlying the lower end of the slide member. A downward blowon the driving element 58 causes its sloping or wedge-shaped cammingportion 70 to drive the slide member upwardly.

In FIG. 1 the upper end of the slide member 16 is devoid of the stopmeans. When the figure 20 has nearly reached the end of the slide,another blow sends the figure flying oil the slide. However, stop meansmay be provided, and in FIGURE 5 a pin 72 extends transversely of theslide at its end, and serves to arrest movement of the figure when itreaches the end of the slide.

Another difference in FIG. 5 is that the moving figure 64 simulates amonkey with its arms 74 around the slide member 60. It will beunderstood that any other simulation may be employed, includingmechanical objects such as an auto or an airplane, instead of a livecreature.

By appropriate design of the lower part of the figure, the serrationsmay be formed on the bottom instead of on the top of the slide member.Moreover, it is not altogether essential to provide serrations. In FIG.5 the arms 74 may be continued beneath the slide member, and the weightdistribution of the figure may be such that the hands bear upwardlyagainst the bottom of the slide member, While the tail bears downwardlyagainst the top of the slide member. The resulting frictional engagementmay be made sufficient to prevent downward movement of the figure. Withmost of the mass of the vfigure disposed above the slide member, asshown, a

such as to inhibit" downward movement while affording upward movement ofthefigure, even without using actual 1 serrations on the slide member,although it is simpler }to use serrations. I

The top maybe used as a pro-school amusement toytages and ispreferred. 7

I I It is believed that the construction and operation of my improvedtoy, as well as the advantages thereof, will be apparent from theforegoing detailed description. It will also be apparent that while Ihave shown and described the invention in several preferred forms,changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention,as sought to be defined in the following claims. 7

I claim: a

l. A toy comprising a base, a driving means on said base for movement inan up and down direction and adapted to be pounded downwardly as bymeans of a mallet, an elongated slide "member projecting outwardly andupwardly for a substantial distance from said base and having its lowerend only slidably' received in said base, the entire projecting portionbeing exposed on all sides, a return spring directly connecting saidslide member to said base for urging said slide member longitudinallytoward the base,.means simulating a figure slidably embracing andmovable from one portion to a second portion of said slide member whensaid driving element is actuatedymeans to inhibit rearward whileaffording forward movement of said figure along said slide met her, anda force-transmitting and direction-changing means between said drivingelement and said slide member, such that downward blows on the drivingelement 2. A toy as defined in claim 1 in which the slide is providedwith stop means at its outer end to prevent the figure from flyingofi'theslide-on reaching the upper end. I i

3; A toy as defined in claim 1 in which the forcetransmitting anddirection-changing means comprises a series of contacting balls confinedin but readily movable along a curved path, said series of ballsextending between the lower end of the driving element and the inner endof the slide member.

4. A toy as defined in claim 1 in which the forcetransmitting anddirection-changing means comprises a helical spring with closelyadjacent coils confined in but readily movable along a curved path, saidhelical cause longitudinal reciprocations of the slide member and 3consequent progressive movement of the figure along the slide member.

spring extending between the lower end ofthe driving element and theinner end of the slide member.

5. A toy as defined in claim 1 inwhich the forcetransmitting anddirection-changing means includes av pivoted lever having one endgenerally beneath the driving element and having'its other end generallybeneath the lower end of the slide member, the pivot of said lever beinglocated between its ends.

6. A toy as defined in claim 1 in which the forcetransmitting anddirection-changing means includes a slidable element with resilientmeans urging the same upwardly and having a camming portion underlyingthe lower end of the slide member,

1 7. A toy as defined in claim l in which the force-- transmitting anddirection-changing means between the driving element and the slidemember is housed and concealed in said base. 7

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 RICHARDC.PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

1. A TOY COMPRISING A BASE, A DRIVING MEANS ON SAID BASE FOR MOVEMENT INAN UP AND DOWN DIRECTION AND ADAPTED TO BE POUNDED DOWNWARDLY AS BYMEANS OF A MALLET, AN ELONGATED SLIDE MEMBER PROJECTING OUTWARDLY ANDUPWARDLY FOR A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE FROM SAID BASE AND HAVING ITS LOWEREND ONLY SLIDABLY RECEIVED IN SAID BASE, THE ENTIRE PROJECTING PORTIONBEING EXPOSED ON ALL SIDES, A RETURN SPRING DIRECTLY CONNECTING SAIDSLIDE MEMBER TO SAID BASE FOR URGING SAID SLIDE MEMBER LONGITUDINALLYTOWARD THE BASE, MEANS SIMULATING A FIGURE SLIDABLY EMBRACING ANDMOVABLE FROM ONE PORTION TO A SECOND PORTION OF SAID SLIDE MEMBER WHENSAID DRIVING ELEMENT IS ACTUATED, MEANS TO INHIBIT REARWARD WHILEAFFORDING FORWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID FIGURE ALONG SAID SLIDE MEMBER, AND AFORCE-TRANSMITTING AND DIRECTION-CHANGING MEANS BETWEEN SAID DRIVINGELEMENT AND SAID SLIDE MEMBER, SUCH THAT DOWNWARD BLOWS ON THE DRIVINGELEMENT CAUSE LONGITUDINAL RECIPROCATIONS OF THE SLIDE MEMBER ANDCONSEQUENT PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT OF THE FIGURE ALONG THE SLIDE MEMBER.